The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named Cognizant as its official digital technology transformation partner and official IT consulting partner.
At the heart of the partnership is the ambition to offer recreational cricket fans, players and volunteers an improved digital experience.
The pair plan to achieve this through the ECB’s recreational game systems programme, which aims to develop integrated and user-friendly digital systems that simplify the administrative tasks involved in running recreational cricket.
Alison Crowe, Director of Digital and Data at ECB, commented: “The ECB is delighted to collaborate with Cognizant to advance its digital technology transformation. Cognizant brings a wealth of experience in this space and hugely impressive credentials.
“It’s a new approach for us to be able to work with a partner in this way and the Digital and Data and Technology teams at the ECB are excited to be working with Cognizant, to help transform the recreational game.”
Additionally, the technology company will also support the ECB with wider digital and technology initiatives, seeking to further grow cricket in England and Wales. A significant element of this will be an annual innovation fund, which the ECB plans to utilise to test early-stage innovations that could grow the game across aspects such as commercial, fan engagement and infrastructure.
Rohit Gupta, Managing Director for UK and Ireland at Cognizant, remarked: “Cognizant is proud to advance innovation in grassroots cricket in partnership with the ECB. Together, we aim to serve its community better with personalised digital experiences that can scale with the ECB’s evolving technology landscape and the needs of everyone involved in the great game.
“This will mean the ECB can make playing and organising cricket more enjoyable and streamlined, and also unlock new and deeper engagement for cricket communities with their services and commercial offerings.”
Cognizant already has experience working in the sport, making history earlier this year. In March, Major League Cricket, an American cricket championship in its second season, announced the company as its first-ever title sponsor.
